ROSEVILLE, CA - As more links connect health to fresh produce, the California Prune Board (CPB) is leading the charge in investigating the connection between prunes and bone health. Earlier this year, the association announced scientific data supporting the role that prunes may play in optimal bone health.
“The science has shown us that something unique is going on with prunes, as we’ve uncovered some remarkable connections to bone health,” said Donn Zea, Executive Director, California Prune Board. “With every study, we learn something more compelling, further piquing our curiosity. Our research program has more to explore, and we’re excited to see where this takes us in terms of learning more about the benefits of prunes for bone health.”
Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD, and Nutrition Advisor for California Prune Board, remarked on the findings as well.
“Bone health, whether optimizing bone formation early in life or preventing bone loss in adulthood, is critical at all life stages given that the human skeleton is dynamic, undergoing a continuous cycle of building and breaking down bone,” she commented. “We are aiming to better understand the role of prunes in this cycle that is strongly correlated to gut health, inflammation, and oxidative states within the body.”
According to a release, it does remain unclear what bioactive compounds in prunes are responsible for the beneficial effects on bone. However, its positive effects could be due to the array of vitamins and minerals in California Prunes known to influence bone status, namely boron, potassium, copper, and vitamin K.
Advancing this type of research is critical to our industry, especially as we fight for more basket share.
For more information regarding this research, click here.
